Hey scrappers! My good buddy Alice Boll of ScrapbookWonderland.com is launching a new class in April, all about scrapbooking OURSELVES. While I love scrapping my family as much as the next person, I also know the importance of scrapbooking my own stories. Alice’s class, “Scrapbook YOU!,” kicks off April 1 and is the perfect structure. I asked her some questions about the class and about scrapbooking ourselves in particular. Here are her answers:

1. Why is it important for scrapbookers to capture ourselves?

Only you can really tell your own story. Your scrapbook becomes a living legacy. It shows your personal growth, the changes you make in your life, the people that are a part of it, the choices you make in how you live your life.

2. Why is it so hard?!

It’s easy to get stuck when trying to scrapbook yourself. Where do you start? What do you include? How can you fit an entire life into a scrapbook? It’s also tough because you may be in a situation without a lot of photos of yourself, or with photos that you don’t really like. Sometimes the photos are such poor quality that they can be difficult to work with. The good news is that there are ways around every problem.

3. Many people say “my life isn’t interesting.” You and I know that isn’t really true, but how do we convince others that their life is worth documenting?

Often the ‘boring’ or ‘mundane’ parts of life are the most interesting. This is especially true if you think about family members you have never had the opportunity to know. Picture your grandmother, great-grandmother or even great-great grandmother. What did they think about life? Where did they travel? What was their daily life like? How did they enjoy spending their time? Did they have pets? What were holidays like for them as a child? Wouldn’t it be great to know the answers to these questions and more? Now is the time to start capturing your memories. Your life is important too! When you start to tell your story you’ll realize how much there really is to tell.

4. What kinds of things /topics/questions should we think about documenting?

I challenge you to get underneath the surface. Don’t tell the stories you see in photos. Tell the story of what you CAN’T see in the photo! Look back at the questions you’d love to know about your relatives and start with one of those, but about yourself. Life changes fast and you do too. Imagine taking a photo of yourself every day. From day to day you might not see many changes, but over 100, 1000, or even 10,000 days just think of the differences you’d see. The changes in personality or tastes may not be obvious now, but over time they add up as you grow and change. As a scrapbooker you can document not only this moment but the changes in your life over time.

5. I know that the value of scrapbooking goes beyond the end result- that the very process is important. What has happened for you personally when you’ve committed to capturing your story?

I’m the first person to admit that I love to play and get creative with my scrapbook pages. That’s not saying they are all a work of art, but I do enjoy the process of crafting a layout. Scrapbooking has allowed me to see my personal growth; as a person, as a mother, as a wife and more. I can also look back at all of the crazy hairstyles I’ve tried over the years, but that’s another story and another layout! Lol! For me, scrapbooking is a way to tell the stories of my myself and my family. I feel that I appreciate certain moments a little more, or perhaps it’s just that I’m more aware of little things that make our life unique and special by scrapbooking them.

6. Tell us about your class!

As much as I love to scrapbook myself, I looked at my shelf of albums one day and realized that I didn’t have a book of my own. I had never really told my own story, or at least I’d never put it together with purpose. I decided that I would create a highlight reel of my life, a mini-memoir, and now I want to help you do the same thing! Scrapbook YOU! is the class that will show you where to start, what to include, and how to fit an entire life into a scrapbook. (Yes, it IS possible!) Will it include everything? No! What it will include are the parts that matter the most. It will help you tell the story of YOU. 25 daily prompts will show you how to capture the stories that matter. The bonuses include: What to do when you don’t have the right photos, or any photos of yourself. How to add your memorabilia. We’re even going to talk about the curse of many scrapbookers… procrastination! Let’s find the missing person in your scrapbooks… YOU! Class starts on April 1 and you must be pre-registered. Cost is $45, because I really want you to be a part of this you can save 40% with the code: “myself”.

7. Anything else?

I encourage every scrapbooker to make sure that you are a part of your scrapbooks. Tell your story, you are the best person to do it! Lain again… I’m excited about jumping onboard Alice’s class, “Scrapbook YOU!”. And with the 40% off code “myself” there’s no excuse. Will I see YOU in class on April 1?

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